LMT Magazine

Business Strategies, Dental Laboratory News, Education and More

Members of our community are a diverse and talented bunch both on and off the bench. Read four inspiring stories of readers pursuing their passions—from writing screenplays to helping to find a cure for diabetes.

In order to integrate digital technology and to more accurately reflect real-world caseloads, the National Board for Certification (NBC) has completed a comprehensive, two-year-long update of the CDT exams.

Periodically, my staff and I have a swap meet in our company lounge. Mostly we bring in clothes we no longer want; whatever no one else wants, we donate.

In past years I didn’t participate much; I happily alternate between wearing something from 20 years ago with wearing something new. This year, however, I made a resolution to “declutter” so I brought in a boatload of tops and shoes.

Interestingly, I was acutely aware of how difficult it was for me to let go of things that still technically fit and were in good shape while noting that other staff members gleefully unloaded their stuff (that also still fit) and were quite happy to be thinning their wardrobes.

Psychologists and organizing experts say holding onto material things is “emotional baggage standing in our way.” They’ll tell you that our organizational style is a metaphor for how we conduct our lives; that holding on holds us back; that decluttering will help bring calm and serenity to our...

As the end of 2016 approaches, LMT wants to know if you or your laboratory celebrated a big milestone this past year. Tell us about your lab's 50th anniversary or how you just hit 30 years as a CDT… any big milestone, we want to hear about it!

This summer, Facebook made changes to its news feed algorithm, giving priority to content from users’ friends and families over business pages. Companies in every industry have noticed a big decline in organic reach—or how many of your followers your content actually reaches—and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get seen without paying to sponsor posts.

The good news is there are things you can do to help increase your organic reach without shelling out any money. Speaking from experience, here are the four things I’ve noticed help get LMT’s posts seen by more people on Facebook:

#1: Post native video

Over the past few years, video has blown up on social media and has proven to generate lots of engagement. One of our most popular Facebook posts was a video, reaching over 14,000 people with 72 shares! Facebook’s algorithm favors native video—or videos uploaded on the Facebook platform—which is why I recommend doing this instead...

In August, the camaraderie and passion for dental technology was evident at the third annual DTG Symposium, featuring back-to-back lectures, the World Mixed Dental Arts Championships and an art competition.

Thanksgiving is a time to come together with friends and family, eat delicious food and give thanks. We’d like to hear about one person—a lab owner, employer, mentor, staff member, colleague or teacher—in the dental laboratory community for whom you’re thankful. It’s a great way to recognize someone who’s had a big impact on your life!

Click here to fill out the form: https://lmtmag.wufoo.com/forms/s1hbkxjc1560n0a/. We’ll be featuring these stories on our website and social media accounts around Thanksgiving so please submit the form by November 11th.

Back in 1981, the Board of Directors of the NADL began its search for a new association management group to breathe new life into what had become a rather sleepy organization.

For a while after its new Association Executive was installed, the NADL became a hot organization. In 1984, it introduced a snazzy, newly designed and renamed magazine [Trends & Techniques in the Contemporary Dental Laboratory] with a great tagline: “T&T is dynamite” and reasserted itself as an educational organization.

Unfortunately, within a decade the Association Director imploded, leaving the Board of Directors (who are lab owners and managers) to pick up the pieces. A group of large lab owners stepped up to give the NADL its full support by donating their time and money in its hour of need. They formed committees, created a five-year plan and introduced the excellent, motivational Vision21 program that enables attendees to network while keeping abreast of industry news, views and...

In May, the Department of Labor (DOL) finalized changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), extending overtime eligibility to an estimated 4.2 million working Americans previously classified as exempt.

When creating the social media content here at LMT, I’m always looking for eye-catching graphics to accompany my posts. I’m far from a graphic designer, which is why I lean on a few online-based graphic design tools. These tools also take away the guesswork of figuring out what size to make your graphics since every social media network has image size guidelines you should follow so your image will look its best in the news feed, timeline or stream.

Here are my three favorite design tools that are not only really easy to use, but also free!

Canva

Canva is my go-to website for most of my social media graphic needs. Whether I’m creating an infographic after one of our LAB DAY shows or posting about an article, it helps me make professional looking graphics in a snap!

One thing I really like about Canva is that it uses a drag and drop interface, making it perfect for people who don’t have a ton of graphic design experience. It also offers thousands of beautiful layouts...

You know as well as I do that time “ain’t what it used to be.” Contrary to what Mick Jagger sang to us when we were young enough to believe him, time is not on our side. Maybe it used to be but, nowadays, the summer is practically over before I even welcome its arrival.

So here we are in September, the start of another show season, and I find myself mulling over the content of business advisor and author Chuck Blakeman’s breakout session at last month’s Dentsply Sirona’s Siroworld in Orlando. Blakeman laid out a series of challenges for attendees to help us identify whether or not we are hostages to our businesses.

Yeah, he said “hostages.” I had to think about that. Not being a hostage, he said, requires a shift from the idea of “you as the business owner making money versus the business itself making money.” More importantly, he maintains that our business should produce both money and time. One can have “riches,”...

Our exclusive 2016 Wage Report (September 2016) is now available as a downloadable eBook! This makes it easy to quickly reference average national wages and wages by laboratory size, as well as LMT's in-depth analysis and other pertinent data.

Welcome to LMTmag.com, the social and information hub of the dental lab industry. Connect with industry peers and vendors, ask questions, sign up for events, review products, read LMT articles and industry news and more!

From independent surveys and research to industry-specific management, marketing and business strategies, LMT gives dental laboratory owners and managers the information that's hard to find anywhere else. Incorporating the real-world experiences of people who work in the same market and face the same challenges, LMT's articles are carefully focused...See more on the practical, business side of operating a dental laboratory.

Because of the limitless reach, immediacy, interactivity and cost-effectiveness of social media compared to many traditional marketing strategies, content...See more marketing has become the Next-Gen marketing strategy. It’s a soft sell and relationship building at its best.

To succeed in an increasingly competitive environment, laboratory operators are adopting a “don’t go it alone” mentality. Here are f ive...See more partnerships that are helping owners/managers grow their businesses, share valuable feedback on new technology, gain buying power and even create an exit strategy.

Never before in U.S. history have so many dental professionals gathered under one roof to attend a lab technology-specific event. Check out the latest...See more product launches and trending news from this record-breaking weekend.

Although Friendship Dental Laboratories, Inc.'s first case was fabricated in 1973, it wasn't until 2006 that it implemented the efficient, computerized tracking system by Labtrac. This October, it logged in its half-millionth case!

Another submission to our thankful campaign is from Jon Boyer, CDT, TE, Island Dental Lab LLC, Beaufort, SC. We love seeing all the gratitude in the community!

"I'm thankful for the opportunity to establish...See more my laboratory within Dr. Ed Wise's office (Marshlands Family Dentistry), and to work directly with him and his patients for the past eleven years."

"Ray Nakanishi is my grandfather and founder of Nakanishi Dental Laboratory....See more He started the lab in 1953 in the basement of his home the very same year my father, and our current president, Dave, was born! Ray Nakanishi and his wife, Chiyo, still reside in Bellevue and lead an active life.

Among many things, I am inspired by my grandfather's lifelong commitment to learning. Whether it's becoming a Master CDT or taking lessons to become the best in watercolor or discovering how to use the latest apps on his cell phone at age 90... he's always ready to learn.

My grandfather has inspired my sister and me to continually look for educational opportunities. From an advanced degree in business to the CDT exam that my sister will be taking this fall, our grandfather has always been extremely supportive. We are proud to continue his legacy and are grateful for his inspiration!"

"John Melengic is my father. He's also owned and operated JHM Royal Dental Lab for 40 years. In my lifetime, there is no single person who inspired, loved or...See more cared about doing what's right more than him.

The list of examples are long, too long to list them all. One of the examples really shaped the way I approach the business but more so life.

In the midst of the economic downturn when things were really bad, businesses all around us were closing their doors. Labs we're friendly with talked about survival by cutting corners, cutting costs, hiring sub par technicians for lower pay, etc. I asked my father if he'd be doing the same. He looked at me with disappointment (which is not a good feeling). He said:

'Our purpose in our business and in life is to give. To give a smile. To give hope. To give courage, relief and comfort among others. Our profits do not dictate our success and as long as my doors are open, our responsibility to our patients is our only concern. If we cut corners, we may be open for business, but our doors have already shut. If we don't make it the right way, I'd rather do something else.'

Hearing things like that shape you. They allow you to shape others and I am forever thankful God gave me a dad like him."

Poly-Ether-Ether-Ketone (PEEK) is a thermoplastic technopolymer that's been used for more than a decade for implantable medical device applications. Suitable for patients with metal allergies, the biocompatible material has an elastic modulus similar to that of bone and is X-ray transparent.

LMT Communications delivers the business strategies, information, dental laboratory news and education that dental laboratory decision-makers need to succeed. Through LMT Magazine and our LAB DAY shows, LMT works to advance excellence in dental technology, enhance the products, services and communication of dental technicians, and give lab owners and managers the tools they need to flourish. Learn More »